Trinidad U17 women optimistic for CONCACAF tournament

Trinidad & Tobago celebrates after winning the Caribbean Football Union Women's Under-17 tournament with a 1-0 victory over host Haiti in the final on September 29, 2013, at the Stade Sylvio Cator, in Port-au-Prince. (Photo: Yonel Louis)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Since winning the Caribbean women’s under-17 title last month, Trinidad & Tobago has played the country’s under-15 boys squad twice in preparation for the CONCACAF Women’s Under-17 Championship.

As his team trains to meet the United States in the tournament opener for each on Wednesday, head coach Marlon Charles is optimistic.

“The Americans are very strong, so we have to be very organized and play more on the counter attack,” stated Charles.

In addition to the U.S., the Soca Princesses will also face Canada and Guatemala in Group B

“Our chances are just as good as any other team there,” Charles continued. “We know the group that we have been chosen in is ‘The Group of Death’ and will be intense, so we are focusing on the fitness of the players.”

Trinidad will lean heavily on captain Zoe Smith, who scored six goals in the final round of Caribbean qualifying; Summer Arjoon, who scored the winning in the 1-0 final victory over Haiti; and Germany-based Amaya Ellis.

Despite never advancing past the tournament’s group stage, the Trinidadians are unbeaten in three of six all-time games. Its only win came at home against El Salvador, 5-1, on July 18, 2008.

The eight-team tournament kicks off in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Wednesday, at Catherine Hall Stadium.

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